Tiltable beautician&#39;s chair



y 1968 c. A. BILLINGHAM ETAL 3,384,414

TILTABLE BEAUTICIAN S CHAIR Original iled Nov. 5, 1964 3 sheets-s eet 1 m a. I M

,lffihe a y 1968 c. A. BILLINGHAM ETAL 3,384,414

TILTABLE BEAUTICIAN'S CHAIR Original Filed Nov 1964 3 Sheets-SheetZ y 1968 c. A. BILLINGHAM ETAL 3,384,414

TILTABLE BEAUTICIANS CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Nov. 5, 1964 United States Patent 3,384,414 TILTABLE BEAUTICKANS CHAIR Carroll A. Billingham, Rockford, and Kenneth W. Daring, Belvidere, 11]., assiguors to Belvedere Products, Inc., Belvidere, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Original application Nov. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 408,511, now Patent No. 3,326,604, dated June 20, 1967. Divided and this application Feb. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 615,636

8 Claims. (Cl. 297328) ABSTRACT OF THE DFSCLOSURE A back and seat mounted on a base and tiltable together about a horizontal pivot axis. A tilting linkage to tilt the apparatus and having an over-center lock to hold the apparatus in tilted position. A hydraulic dampener mounted vertically between the seat and base, and retractable into the base. The dampener arranged to pass fluid faster when returning the apparatus to upright position than when tilting.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 408,511 filed Nov. 3, 1964, now Patent No. 3,326,604.

This invention relates in general to a tiltable beauticians chair.

This invention is especially useful in beauty shops for tilting an occupant backward so that the occupants head is positioned over a shampoo bowl. In the prior art, this positioning has been accomplished by dropping the back of the chair into a reclining position. This was objectionable since the occupant would slide down the back of the chair as the back was lowered. Such sliding happened because the lower torso of the occupant would stay in seated position while the back of the chair would pivot about a dilferent point than the body of the occupant; the back of the chair usually pivoting rat a point either be hind or below the occupant. As'a result of this sliding, the occupant had to change her position or be repositioned by the operator. Either procedure was uncomfortable and thus objectionable. The tendency to slide is overcome by tilting both the chair seat and back which are hereinafter sometimes referred to as the occupant support. Doing this, however, creates different objectionable features, for when the center of gravity of the occupant and occupant support moves past the pivot point, there is acceleration in the movement and a resulting falling feeling in the occupant which frightens her. The accelerated movement also stresses the stop mechanism which limits movement of the chair and results in an uncomfortable jolt or jar when the occupant support reaches its ultimate tilted position.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tiltable beauticians chair in which the movement is retarded or dampened so that there is little acceleration when the center of gravity of the occupant and occupant support moves past the pivot point and little or no jolt when the movement stops.

Another object of this invention is to provide a beauticians chair having manually operable mechanism for tilting the occupant support and in which rearward tilting of the occupant support is limited to a slow rate sufficient to avoid apprehension of falling by the occupant and wherein return movement of the occupant support to an upright position can be effected at a relatively more rapid rate.

These, and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent by reference to the 3,384,414 Patented May 21, 1968 "ice following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the chair with the occupant support in upright position and mounted on a base;

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 but with the occupant support in a tilted position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the occupant support and base illustrating the tilting mechanism and pivotal axis and with parts broken away to illustrate the device for dampening or retarding movement of the occupant support;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section along the center line of the chair to illustrate the relative positions of the elements when in tilted position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along plane S5 of FIG. 4 of the device for dampening movement on a larger scale than FIG. 4 and illustrating the handle with the switch mechanism for engaging the device to allow movement of the occupant support;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 showing a modified form of dampening device for the tiltable occupant support;

FIG. 6A is a sectional view taken along the plane 6A6A of FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a further modilied form of dampening device for the tiltable occupant support; and

FIG. 8 is a centerline section similar to FIG. 4 and illustrating a modified arrangement for mounting the dampening device.

Referring further to the drawings, the chair includes a back 10 and seat 11 which are mounted on a frame 12 and which together comprise the tiltable portion of the chair. The tiltable portion of the chair, hereinafter generally referred to as the support or occupant support, is pivotally connected to a pedestal or base 13 about a pin 14 defining a horizontal pivot axis. The base 13 may be various different types to provide stability and, as shown, has an outwardly extending toe portion 15 to provide necessary stability when the center of gravity of the support and occupant moves past the horizontal axis 14 and to maintain such stability when the chair is in final tiltable position as shown in FIG. 2. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the base 13 may contain an adjustable portion 16 which may be operable in a manner illustrated by US. Letters Patent No. 2,969,645, issued to W. J. Kiefer to raise and lower the occupant support.

A manually operable mechanism is provided for selectively tilting the occupant support about its pivot axis. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the base 13 includes a support bracket 19 mounted on the upper end of the adjustable portion 16. The support bracket is conveniently in the form of an elongated channel member having a web portion 1% and upstanding leg portions 19b. The frame 12 has downwardly extending brackets 12a which are pivotally mounted on the leg portion 19b of the support bracket by the aforementioned pin 14. In the embodiments illustrated, the support is tilted by a linkage 17 and 17a operated by a handle 18. The handle is conveniently formed from a tube bent through a angle as shown in FIG. 5 to provide a handle portion and a transversely extending shaft portion 18a which is rotatably supported in the leg portion 19b of the base support bracket. The link 17a is rigidly secured to the shaft portion 18a for movement with the handle and the link 17 is pivotally connected at opposite ends to the link 17a and to a bracket 12b on the frame 12. The links are conveniently so proportioned as to extend approximately in line when the occupant support is in its rearmost position and an overcenter lock 20 is provided and arranged to engage the edges of the pivotally interconnected links when they move to an overcenter position to lock the occupant support in full tilted position as shown in FIG. 4.

The tilting movement of the occupant support is retarded or dampened by a device 21 which will hereinafter be more fully described. The dampening device 21 is preferably mounted in horizontal position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and is swingably connected at one end to the base bracket 19 by means of pins 23 and operatively connected at the other end to the occupant support as through arms 24 and 24 rigidly secured to the shaft portion 18a of the handle and linkage 17 and 17a. In this preferred mounting, the dampening or retarding device 21 is disposed within the channel member and nearly completely hidden from view, even when the occupant support is in full tilted position as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4. In addition, there is no interference with the seat 11 and this arrangement occupies a minimum vertical space.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a preferred design of the dampening or retarding device will be described. The dampening device comprises an enclosed hydraulic chamber conveniently in the form of a cylinder 25 containing a hydraulic fluid 26. A movable wall or piston 28 is disposed in the cylinder and separates the same into compartments at opposite sides of the piston and a piston rod 27 is rigidly attached to the piston and slidably extends out of one end of the cylinder. Preferably, the piston rod also slidably extends out of the other end of the cylinder to maintain a constant volume in the cylinder. In this embodiment, an O-ring 31 is mounted on the piston to prevent flow of the hydraulic fluid from one side of the piston to the other along the cylinder wall and the dampening device has means for regulating the flow of fluid from one side of the piston to the other. In this means, the piston rod 27 is hollow and has holes 32 and 32' on either side of the piston 28 to allow the fluid 26 to flow from one side of the piston into the hollow piston rod and back to the other side of the piston. Inside the hollow piston rod 27 is a valving arrangement for controlling this flow of fluid from one side of the piston to the other. The valving arrangement is in the form of a valve stem 33 fitted inside the piston rod 27. The valve stem contains a passage for interconnecting the holes 32 and 32 and is conveniently in the form of a slot 34 extending through the valve stem. The slot is dimensioned to span the holes 32 and 32 when the valve stem is moved relative to the rod to an open position, to thereby allow fluid to flow from one side of the piston 28 to the other, and the stem is movable to a closed position in which the slot is out of registry with the holes to prevent such flow. The valve stem is provided with O- rings 38 and 38' to assure that there is no leakage from the valve passage to the ends of the stem. The valve is normally maintained in a closed position by a spring 37. In the closed position, the slot 34 is out of registry with the holes 32 and 32' and the valve stem blocks flow of fluid 26, thus preventing movement of the occupant support. The valve stem is selectively movable to the open position by a valve stem actuator conveniently located on the handle 18. As shown, a botton 36 is provided adjacent the grip end 18b of the handle, which button is connected through a reciprocable wire 35 con tained in a flexible casing 35a. The wire 35 and easing 35a runs through the handle 18 to the valve stem 33 and the wire is terminally secured to the button 36 and stem 33 while the ends of the casing 3511 are anchored to the handle and to the piston rod 27 or a part that moves with the piston rod. When the button 35 is depressed, the wire 35 pushes the valve stem 33, to move the same to its open position in which the slot 34 registers with the holes 32 and 32' thus allowing flow of the fluid 26 from one side of the piston 28 to the other. The movement of the valve compresses the spring 37 and when the button 36 is released, the spring operates to return the valve to its closed position wherein the slot 34 is out of registry with the holes 32 and 32' thus preventing flow of the fluid.

FIG. 6 illustrates a dampening device having a modified manually operable valve for controlling flow of fluid to opposite sides of the piston. The dampening device of FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 and like numerals are used to designate the same parts while modified parts are indicated by numerals one hundred higher than the corresponding elements of FIG. 5. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the valve stem 133 is arranged for ro tation relative to the piston rod between an open and closed position. For this purpose, the valve stem is provided with a flattened portion 139 which forms a passage operative in one rotative position of the stem to register with the holes 32 and 32 and to allow fluid to flow from one side of the piston to the other. The valve stem is selectively rotated between its open and closed position as by the aforementioned wire and casing 35 and 35a connected to the handle 18. The casing 35a is anchored to the piston rod as by a clamp 140 and the wire 35 is attached to a pin 141 that extends laterally from the stem 133. The pin conveniently extends outwardly through an arcuate slot 142 in the piston rod 127. The sides of the slot slidably engage the pin to limit endwise movement of the stern relative to the rod while the ends of the slot are arranged to form stop faces to limit angular movement of the stem and define the open and closed positions of the valve. The valve is normally urged to its closed position, as by a tension spring 137 conveniently terminally anchored to the pin 141 and piston rod 127. The valve is manually movable to its open position, as previously explained, by depressing the button 36 on the handle and thus operating to push the wire 35.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modified arrangement of the dampening device. Many elements of FIG. 7 are similar to FIG. 5 and are numbered with the same numbers. These similar elements have the same function as described above. Modified parts are indicated by numbers two-hundred higher than the corresponding elements of FIG. 5. In the modified arrangement illustrated in FIG. 7, the fluid 26 is allowed to flow from one side of the piston 228 to the other along the cylinder wall 25. In other words, the piston 228 is a loose-fitting piston mounted on the piston rod 227. It is to be understood that the same result may be obtained by providing a hole or holes through the piston or by other means of passing the fluid from one side of the piston to the other.

FIG. 7 also illustrates an additional feature of the invention, showing a one-way valve to allow the fluid 26 to flow faster in one direction than in the other. This oneway valve consists of a hole 229 through the piston 228. The hole is covered by a flexible disk 230 so that when the piston moves in one direction, the valve is closed and the flow is restricted to along the cylinder wall 25. When the piston moves in the opposite direction, the valve is opened allowing the fluid to flow faster. The dampening device is mounted in such a manner that the valve is closed when the support is being tilted rearwardly and opened when the support is moved from the tilted position to its normal upright position. Thus, there is a greater retarding of movement when the support is being tilted, to avoid apprehension of falling by the occupant.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a modified arrangement for mounting the dampening device 21. In this embodiment, the device includes a cylinder 325, a piston 328 slidable in the cylinder, and a rod 327 connected to the piston and extending out of the cylinder. As in the preceding embodiment, the rod extends through both ends of the cylinder to maintain a constant volume in the cylinder. The cylinder is filled with hydraulic fluid and any of the aforedescribed arrangements for controlling the flow of fluid between opposite sides of the piston may be employed. Except for the mounting of the dampening device, FIG. 8 is similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 and like numbers are used to designate the same parts which have previously been described. In this modified arrangement, the device is mounted in a generally vertical position and the piston rod 327 is swingably connected :at the upper end to a recessed bracket 43 in the frame 12. The lower end of the device is connected to the base bracket 19 by means of pins 23. The base bracket has an opening 44 which leads to a well 22 in the base 13 and the lower end of the dampening device is positioned relative to the Well so that the lower end of the piston rod can extend into the well when the occupant support is lowered to an ordinary position.

It can be readily seen that in the preferred embodiment of the dampening device as indicated in either FIG. 5 or 6, the device normally locks the occupant support against movement. The locking arrangement may be released by merely pressing the button located on the handle and made operative to regulate the tilting of the occupant support. Conversely, by releasing the button, the movement of the occupant support may be stopped at any position either intermediate or at the extremes of movement. When the locking arrangement is released by pressing the button, the handle can be pushed by an operator and the occupant support thereby repositioned. The device operates to slow or dampen the movement during such repositioning. It should be understood that the amount of dampening is controlled by the area of the piston, the viscosity of the fluid utilized and the size of holes provided for flow of fluid. It has been found that a compact design can be obtained utilizing a relatively small sized cylinder in which the effective area of the piston is only about one-half square inch, if a light weight oil is used and an orifice of approximately .03 diameter is provided.

From the foregoing it is thought that the operation and construction of our invention will be readily understood and while we have described and illustrated various embodiments of our invention herein, this has been done by way of illustration and not of limitation and we do not wish the invention to be limited except as required by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tiltable beauticians chair, the combination of: a base; an occupant support including a seat and a back and pivotally connected to the base for movement about a generally horizontal axis; said horizontal axis being generally parallel to the intersection of the seat and back and adjacent the rear of the seat; said occupant support being movable through an are so that the center of gravity of the occupant support and occupant moves past the horizontal axis when moved to a tilted position; manually operable tilt means for tilting the occupant support about the horizontal axis and returning the same to upright position; dampening means for retarding movement of the support when being tilted, said dampening means comprising an enclosed hydraulic chamber member, a movable wall in the chamber, a rod member attached to the wall and extending outside the chamber at both ends thereof, a non-compressible fluid contained in the chamber, and means for regulating the flow of fluid from one side of the wall to the other; means for attaching one end of the rod to the occupant support at 'a point spaced from the pivot axis and adjacent the central portion of the seat; said base comprising a pedestal disposed beneath the central portion of the seat; and means for attaching the chamber to the base so that the dampening means extends generally upright and the free end of the rod is closely adjacent the pedestal when the occupant support is in upright position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the means for regulating the flow of fluid includes means for restricting the flow from one side of the wall to the other during rearward tilting of the occupant support, and valve means for by-passing the fluid more rapidly from the other side of the wall to said one side when the occupant support is returned to the upright position; and wherein the tilt means includes means for locking the occupant support in tilted position.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the pedestal is hollow and said free end of the rod extends into the hollow area when the occupant support is in upright position.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the tilt means includes means for locking the occupant support in tilted position.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the tilt means includes: a shaft rotatably mounted on the base, means for rotating the shaft, a first member secured to the shaft for rotation therewith, a second member pivotally connected to the occupant support and the first member, and an over-center lock for engaging the first and second members to hold the occupant support in tilted position.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the means for regulating the flow of fluid includes valve means for restricting the flow of fluid from one side of the piston to the other.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the valve means comprises a one-way valve for passing the fluid more rapidly when the occupant support is returned to the upright position.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein:

said pedestal has a hollow well at the top thereof and said free end of the rod extends into the well when the occupant support is in upright position;

said tilt means includes a shaft rotatably mounted on the base, a handle attached to the shaft for rotating the same, a first member secured to the shaft for rotation therewith, a second member pivotally connected to the occupant support and the first member, and lock means for engaging the first and second members to hold the occupant support in tilted position; and

said means for regulating the flow of fluid includes means for restricting the flow of fluid from one side of the piston to the other during rearward tilting of the occupant support, and valve means for by-passing the fluid more rapidly from the other side of the piston to said one side when the occupant support is returned to the upright position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 186,782 1/1877 Angle 297-328 207,790 9/1878 Wolridge 297-328 452,686 5/1891 Adams et a1. 297-326 1,255,321 2/1918 Laraia 297-71 1,545,269 7/1925 Munroe 297-328 1,579,130 3/1926 Murray 297-303 1,821,299 9/1931 Ferreira 297-328 1,887,647 11/1932 Kochs et a1 297-71 3,024,067 3/1962 Brandoli 297-355 3,135,549 6/1964 Larsson 297-326 3,236,515 2/1966 Ackerman 297-355 FOREIGN PATENTS 329,309 6/ 1958 Switzerland.

FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner. 

